The Dark Side of the Economy: A Comparative Analysis of the Islamic State's Revenue Streams

Authors

  • Wes H Cooper University of Baltimore

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15664/jtr.1287

Keywords:

Islamic State, ISIS, terrorism, crime, Al Qaeda, Hizballah, terrorist financing

Abstract

The Islamic State’s ambitious goals have led to the organization obtaining a large amount of costs. However, the Islamic State does not have adequate revenue streams to maintain these expenditures. This paper compares the Islamic State’s costs and revenue streams with two similar organizations, Hizballah and Al Qaeda. The comparison will explain that the Islamic State’s revenue streams are not as efficient and diversified as Hizballah and Al Qaeda’s revenue streams have historically been. As a result of inefficient and unvaried revenue streams, the Islamic State will be forced to structurally change.

Author Biography

Wes H Cooper, University of Baltimore

Wes Cooper obtained a bachelor of science in Sociology and Anthropology with a minor in international studies from Towson University. While studying at Towson University, he also worked as a copy editor for the Towson University Journal of International Affairs. He is currently working toward his master of arts in Global Affairs and Human Security at the University of Baltimore. His research interests include global crime, terrorism, and global economics. Wes Cooper is particularly interested in the social and cultural phenomena that influence global crime and terrorism and how terrorism is financed. Wes Cooper has also published research about terrorism and the formation of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Downloads

Published

2017-02-08

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2017 The Author(s)

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal
  • Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).